Outline on The Headstrong Historian    Primary Literary Text: The…

Outline on The Headstrong Historian 

1. Primary Literary Text: The Headstrong Historian by Chimamanda Adiche

Adichie, Chimamanda Ngozi. “The Headstrong Historian.” The Norton Anthology of World Literature, Brigham Young University, vol. 1-2, 2018, pp. 1419-1431

1. Central Problem/question: How does the protagonist’s life experience challenge traditional gender roles and expectations in her community
2. Status quo: The community depicted in Chimamanda Adichie’s “Headstrong Historian” is profoundly patriarchal and operates within strict gender roles and expectations. Women are expected to be subservient to men, marry and bear children, and prioritize their domestic duties over any other aspirations or ambitions. As Schipper (2007) notes, in many sub-Saharan African societies, gender discrimination and inequality remain prevalent, with girls and women having limited access to education and being subjected to various forms of violence and exploitation.
3. Destabilizing moment: The protagonist, Nwamgba, challenges these gender norms by pursuing her education and career goals, even at the expense of her relationships and family obligations.
4. Stakes/ Pay off: Nwamgba faces criticism and ostracization from her community but ultimately achieves professional success and personal fulfillment.
5. Central question: How does Nwamgba defying traditional gender roles and expectations impact her life and relationships?
6. How:
7. Key passages:

• “I was born in Umunnachi, a town not so far from the River Niger. My parents named me Nwamgba, which means “a child is more valuable than money.” I was their first daughter but not their first child, and not their first choice to be sent to school.” (Adichie, 2009, p. 117)
• “But Nwamgba, despite her education, was still a woman. She was still expected to marry, have children, cook, clean, and raise a family. Her mother was worried that she would become an old maid and be left on the shelf.” (Adichie, 2009, p. 122)
• “Nwamgba wanted to be a historian, but being a historian was not something a woman did. Women were wives and mothers, and daughters. Women cooked and cleaned and raised children. Women did not study history.” (Adichie, 2009, p. 129)

1. Scholarly interlocutors:

• Schipper (2007) discusses how women in African societies have historically been excluded from educational opportunities and how this exclusion reinforces gender inequalities.
• Chukwuma (2016) analyzes the role of gender in Adichie’s works, arguing that the author’s portrayal of female characters who challenge traditional gender roles reflects her feminist beliefs.
• Taiwo (2017) examines the theme of gender in “Headstrong Historian,” focusing on the tension between Nwamgba’s desires for education and career success and the societal expectations placed on her as a woman.

1. Theoretical interlocutors:

• Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of “the second sex” can be applied to Nwamgba’s situation. She is constrained by societal norms that define her primarily as a woman and limit her opportunities for personal and professional growth (Beauvoir, 1949).
• Judith Butler’s notion of gender performativity can also be used to understand Nwamgba’s challenges. She must constantly negotiate and perform her gender identity in response to societal expectations and norms (Butler, 1990).

1. Additional questions related to the topic:
2. Large-scale thematic questions:

• How do gender roles and expectations vary across different cultures and societies?
• How do societal norms and expectations affect individuals’ opportunities and life trajectories?
• How do women navigate societal expectations and norms to pursue personal and professional fulfillment?

II          Questions related to specific elements of the text:

• How does Nwamgba’s relationship with her mother reflect societal attitudes toward women’s education and career aspirations?
• How do the male characters in the novel reinforce or challenge traditional gender roles and expectations?
• How does Nwamgba’s decision to prioritize her education and career over her family obligations impact her relationships?

III        Questions related to the text:

• How does Adichie use language and narrative structure to convey Nwamgba’s struggle against traditional gender roles and expectations?

Question:

Using this outline on The Headstrong Historian by Chimamanda Adichie as a guide, Turn it into an essay format following these rubrics:

1. Introduction: The introductory paragraph moves from general to specific ideas. The thesis is clearly stated.
2. Introduction: The introductory paragraph moves from general to specific ideas. The thesis is clearly stated.
3. Destabilizing moment: The paper’s intervention is clearly defined.
4. Stakes/payoff: The significance is explicitly discussed in the body.
5. Stakes/payoff: The significance is explicitly discussed in the body.

Text link: The Headstrong Historian | The New Yorker

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/06/23/the-headstrong-historian